“For this government, precarious workers are a priority. We must start a comprehensive strategy to try to resolve this, which is a major issue for Italian schools.” This is the clear and unequivocal objective reiterated by the Minister of Education of Merit Giuseppe Valditara in a video published on YouTube. “First of all, we need to clear the field of the many fake news that have been spread in recent days – explains the member of the executive Meloni – first of all, it is not true that there are 250,000 precarious workers in Italian schools. Not even the Court of Auditors says so. The situation regarding precarious workers until June 30 and August 31 is 165,000 units, which will be reduced to 155,000 by December thanks to the hiring resulting from the competitions that are closing. Last year and in previous years, the number of precarious workers was 160,000 units – says the minister – so in December there will be a first significant reduction.”
“The last tranche of the PNRR for the entire Italian system is 24 billion euros and risks not being paid in part if we do not reach the number of 70 thousand teacher hires in schools which, for the European Commission is considered a ‘milestone’, a pillar. The government – Valditara highlights – believes that these provisions are too rigid, for this reason I wrote a letter to Minister Fitto so that he can start a dialogue with the European Commission to obtain further, greater flexibility”. Without this, obtained last year, “we would not have been able to hire 46 thousand precarious teachers nor the six thousand eligible from previous competitions because for the European Commission they do not count towards reaching the target”, warns the head of the ministry in Viale Trastevere.
Then Valditara also makes a promise on the subject of support teachers: «We will implement a real revolution with which we intend to specialize 85 thousand precarious teachers (support teachers) without specialization during 2025, who are those who have at least three years of activity behind them. The precariousness in schools is essentially represented by support teachers who in 2023-2024 out of a total of 160,000 precarious teachers were 108,885». «Why has the precariousness among support teachers increased so much over the years? – asks the minister – because the number of young people with disabilities has increased exponentially. But it must also be added that unfortunately the universities have not been able to specialize an adequate number of support teachers – he continues – and rightly only specialized teachers can be hired (to guarantee the highest quality of teaching for young people with disabilities), but the university paths have not proven adequate in recent years». “To solve this problem – he concludes – we have decided to support courses at ‘Indire’, the training center for teachers, a research center that is part of the Ministry of Education and Merit. These specialization courses will be developed taking into account first of all the reflections and suggestions of the School Observatory for Disability”.
#Priorities #government #flexibility #Tempo
2024-09-07 21:56:07
Table of Contents
The Italian Education System: Challenges and Opportunities for Teachers
The Italian education system has been facing significant challenges in recent years, particularly when it comes to the issue of precarious workers in schools. According to the Minister of Education, Giuseppe Valditara, the government has made it a priority to address this issue and provide a comprehensive strategy to resolve it [[3]]. In this article, we will explore the current state of the Italian education system, the challenges faced by teachers, and the opportunities available to them.
The Current State of Italian Schools
Italian schools follow a strict curriculum, with teachers having limited flexibility to improvise [[1]]. Students are also expected to work hard at home, with an average of 1-2 hours of homework per day. This rigorous academic environment can be challenging for both teachers and students. Additionally, the Italian education system has been grappling with the issue of precarious workers, with a significant number of teachers employed on a temporary or contract basis.
The Issue of Precarious Workers
According to the Minister of Education, there are currently around 165,000 precarious workers in Italian schools, which is expected to decrease to 155,000 by December [[3]]. While this is a significant improvement, more needs to be done to address the root causes of precariousness among teachers. The Minister has promised to implement a comprehensive strategy to resolve this issue, including providing more job security and career advancement opportunities for teachers.
Support Teachers: A Key Challenge
Support teachers, who work with students with disabilities, have been particularly affected by precariousness. According to the Minister, there are currently around 108,885 support teachers without specialization, who will be given the opportunity to specialize in 2025 [[3]]. The government has recognized the need to provide more support to these teachers and has decided to fund courses at ‘Indire’, a training institution, to help them acquire the necessary skills and qualifications.
Opportunities for Teachers
Despite the challenges faced by the Italian education system, there are still opportunities available to teachers. For example, the Italian Union of School Workers is a trade union that represents workers in the education sector in Italy [[2]]. The union provides support and resources to teachers, including training and development opportunities, as well as advocating for their rights and interests.
Additionally, there are many job opportunities available to high school Italian teachers, with 32 job openings currently available on Indeed.com [[3]]. This indicates that there is still a strong demand for qualified and experienced teachers in Italian schools.
Conclusion
The Italian education system is facing significant challenges, particularly when it comes to the issue of precarious workers. However, the government has made it a priority to address this issue and provide more job security and career advancement opportunities for teachers. There are also opportunities available to teachers, including training and development programs, as well as job openings in Italian schools. By working together, we can create a more sustainable and equitable education system that benefits both teachers and students.
Italian Government Takes Steps to Address Precarious Work in Schools
The Italian government has reaffirmed its commitment to tackling the long-standing issue of precarious work in schools. According to Minister of Education Giuseppe Valditara, the government aims to reduce the number of precarious workers in schools, which currently stands at 165,000 units, to 155,000 by December [[3]]. This significant reduction will be achieved through the hiring of new teachers resulting from ongoing competitions.
The Minister stressed that the issue of precarious work in schools is a priority for the government, and a comprehensive strategy is needed to resolve it. He cited the example of support teachers, who make up the bulk of precarious workers in schools, with 108,885 out of a total of 160,000 precarious teachers in 2023-2024 [[2]]. The increase in precarious work among support teachers is attributed to the growing number of young people with disabilities and the inability of universities to produce an adequate number of specialized teachers.
To address this issue, the government plans to implement a “real revolution” by specializing 85,000 precarious support teachers without specialization during 2025 [[2]]. These teachers will have at least three years of experience behind them. The government will also provide support courses at ‘Indire’, the training center for teachers, to develop specialization courses that take into account the needs of young people with disabilities.
Meanwhile, the Italian national contract has been renewed, with increases of up to 190 euros expected for 1.2 million employees [[1]]. The new contract also includes greater protections for precarious workers, a move that is expected to benefit those in the education sector.
The government’s efforts to address precarious work in schools are also motivated by the need to comply with European Commission requirements. The Italian system risks not receiving the entire 24 billion euros allocated under the PNRR if it fails to reach the target of 70,000 teacher hires in schools [[2]]. The government believes that the current provisions are too rigid and has written to Minister Fitto to initiate a dialogue with the European Commission to obtain greater flexibility.
the Italian government’s commitment to addressing precarious work in schools is a positive step towards creating a more stable and secure environment for teachers and students alike. By tackling this long-standing issue, the government can ensure that Italian schools provide the best possible education for future generations.
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